Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

The Teacher

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First and foremost, I’d like to give God the honor and glory for this wonderful blessing that He has bestowed upon me – the opportunity to be a teacher. 🙂

I took the licensure examination last March and I wasn’t expecting I’d pass it. I was assigned to take the exam for the Secondary Level because of my undergraduate course which is Literature and I am not yet done with my master’s degree in Special Education. During the Licensure Exam For Teachers, the specialization part of the exam for the Secondary Level takers was difficult. I had a little distraction too as the day before I took the exam, husband and I had a little argument. Not to mention I started reviewing just a week before the said exam as I have a short span when it comes to memory retention. But despite all that accompanied by heartfelt prayers and quiet time conversations with God, He remained faithful – I still passed the exam.

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To God Be The Glory: March 2016 LET

This has made me believe in this – I was indeed called by God to be a teacher. Our family was called to be a family of teachers, from grandparents to aunts and uncles, to parents and siblings.

Yup, I am not the only teacher in the family. I have to thank them too for all the love and support they have given to me in all my endeavors and in my plight to becoming an educator. 🙂

When people finds out that you are a teacher, the first thing they say is that you are brimming with patience. As much as it is true, what people really don’t know are the obligations that a teacher truly have in performing her role in society.

I’d like to share the Preamble from the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers to highlight said role:

“Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possesses dignity and reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence in the practice of their noble profession. They strictly adhere to, observe, and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standards, and values.”

The teacher not only teaches but she is also a catalyst of social change. She instructs and yet she disciplines, she adheres and yet she rebukes. Those are her roles in society – far bigger than what we all commonly imagine. As some would say, teachers are the ones responsible for honing the future engineers, architects, doctors, nurses, lawyers and basically every other profession in our society. In other words, the teacher performs quite a huge part in the raising of responsible citizens of the society.

This is a very big responsibility on the part of a teacher for it means that everything she says and does should match what her profession has called her to do. They should include at all times everything that was discussed in the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. But greater than that is the set of moral values and principles that she upholds to for these are the moral values and principles that she will be imparting to her students. These set of standards will now become the students’ guide in following who to imitate when they enter adulthood.

Yes, the teacher is the second  “Mom.”  The things that are being taught at home are also reinforced in school. It comes with great responsibility to be the  “mother”  of many children and raise them as individuals who will serve the country and their countrymen with the right and proper moral values and principles.

If you are to ask me why they are important, it is actually these values and moral principles that define who we are rather than what family we came from, what school we graduated from, where we work/worked, what are our titles, what place did we come from or what organizations are we affiliated with. The kind of values system that we have basically affects every decision that we make in life for they are the ones that govern the heart and the mind. Whatever governs the mind and the heart will govern our words, our thoughts and our actions a.k.a. how we speak, how we do things, how we react, how we feel, etc.

If you are a teacher like me, this will sound too challenging. A student can graduate at his worst or at his best depending on how the teacher has honed him/her inside the classroom through what she teaches may it be in academics or moral standards. So if one will ask, where can a teacher find the best guide in achieving such high standards of morality?

The simple answer is this: the BIBLE.

No other scripture or written literature can ever contain what the bible contains. What the bible contains are all instructions on living a life with high moral standards because we have a God who has HIGH standards.

I was called by God to be a teacher not just to teach students about English, Science or any other academic subjects but more importantly, to teach them the necessary moral principles that they need in life here in this world and life in eternity.

Some may have questioned why I need to disclose such sensitive matters on Facebook and my reason was this in light of the Scripture:

“Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.” – 1 Timothy 5:20

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16 – 17

I have made a covenant that if I am to discipline a student or rebuke someone, it will and it should always be in light of the Scripture. I believe the bible holds much authority than I do and will demand much respect from those who will hear or read it for it is God’s word in written form.

There are so many issues that have been plaguing the society, marriages, personal struggles and families for ages and yet in our society, it is such a taboo to talk about these sensitive issues thus resulting to ignorance and mistakes being committed repeatedly. Name all kinds of issue that this world is suffering from, the bible has something to say about it. More often, what the bible says are all for the good of mankind. It is just that there have been only quite a few teachers who were bold and courageous enough to address these issues by sharing the Scripture pertaining to these specific issues.

They say, “History repeats itself.”  Indeed, it is true. What the bible contains are all historical events mainly for the purpose of guiding and teaching us as we will most probably go through the same experiences.

I want to save families from breaking apart, save children growing in hostile environments, and save future generations from committing the same mistakes as their ancestors did only because we did not do our part in rebuking and sharing what should be the right things to do according to the Scripture.

All we need are teachers who will be bold in sharing the Truth and courageous enough to go against what the society calls as taboo or shameful to talk about. Maybe it is time that we, as believers and born-again Christians, shed light upon matters and issues that have been plaguing relationships, marriages and families for decades already.

Wouldn’t this world be a better place for our children to live in when we are assured they’ve been taught how to live righteously so they can benefit from this righteous living and that they will be saved from the perils that their ancestors have went through?

All these can be done with just a simple task of teaching and rebuking when God calls for it. God is calling for us to protect our marriages now, our children’s future families and the families and children of other people as well through the best teaching material which is the bible. He is calling us to LIVE in the BIBLE, teach it to our children and then share it to others so they will be enlightened too.

My challenge? Do not be ashamed of sharing and teaching the Gospel for in it is where all the solutions lies to all our problems. It has been blessed by God for the very purpose of making known to everyone from whom authority does the bible is referring to and the salvation that it offers not just to us but for the future generations.

Another challenge? Obedience and discipline can come too difficult – these have been my struggles until now. My husband and I do not share the same set of values system which oftentimes create the tension in our marriage. But I am assured God will be with me in my every battle and in my every struggle. I just have to fulfill the mission, the tasks that He has set out for me to finish.

In this struggle to abide by the law and to fight for these laws, you will feel pain, resistance, persecution, sadness and yet constantly remind yourself to “fix your eyes upon Jesus, the author and the perfecter of faith.”  The early disciples felt all these too and yet they endured it all in the midst of their sacrifices.

Those who were called to fulfill their mission, this is our end goal – KEEP THE FAITH and TRUST GOD COMPLETELY.

Learn from the One Great Teacher, be a teacher, and be a disciple. I am continuously praying that God will prepare and guide me in this new season. 🙂

The Tugging

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Hands tugging at a rope

(photo credit to owner)

Yes, this is an article related to the article before this: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/the-judgement-at-christs-coming/.

I was on with my routine of reading my daily devotion when a particular reference verse struck a chord in me – “a tugging.”  It wasn’t new to me since these “tuggings” that I call started when I got saved 3 years back.

This particular reference verse made me stare at it for a while but blankly at first. Yet it made its strike because for the days that followed, there it was, still stuck in the recesses of my brain. Until came the day to give in to the urge of reading the devotion again. It happens that the reference verse is not really a verse alone, but verses – 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12.

I read it, the entire chapter actually. Then there was another tugging, another strike – this message is just too powerful for me, I have to SHARE it.

I decided to share it and yet while composing, I had another “tugging”  – share them as it is, do not include anything and write the title as it was written in the bible. Then I searched Google for the right image, felt the “tugging”  with a particular one, composed the post and when I looked at the overall product everything was perfect so there went the share.

And yet the “tugging”  never ended there. For this article was composed exactly the night I posted the verses and yet the “tugging”  came which was posting this a little later, probably a couple of days, I really can’t tell except that I’ll also feel the “tugging”  by then. So here it is.

Another “tugging”  crossed my heart with the verses. Paul was one of the disciples who sent those greetings. And as we all know, he was imprisoned and yet continued to preach the gospel even behind bars.

Kind of like my situation now. A sickness every now and then is, for me, like a prison. It impedes, it restricts. It limits me from attending church physically, have fellowship and spread the Good News. And like Paul, here I am too, writing “letters”  to spread the Good News even from “behind bars.”  We all know that the frailty of our bodies and eventually physical death is the power of sin in this world.

Back to “letters,”  I am not even sure if these are read and yet if they are, I hope they will find my readers well. But unlike Paul, I need not for messengers. My generation and modern technology made possible for these “letters”  to be delivered via WordPress through this blog which you are reading now. 🙂

I used to ask God why He keeps me awake at the middle of the night until the wee hours of the morning with these thoughts. Until I heard my husband’s snoring and gritting that I realized, ahhhh yes Lord, Your instructions become clearer and more audible when everything is QUIET. Except for my husband’s gritting that is. lol Which, by the way, I have somehow learned to love after 8 months now of being married to him. Yes, living beside a busy street makes you appreciate your husband’s gritting when it is the ONLY sound you hear.

I do not encourage you to be a late sleeper like me though just to find peace and quietude because my schedule now allows that I can rise late in the morning as well which means I still get to complete at least 8 hours of sleep every day. Still on my routine and strict discipline to a healthier lifestyle. Maybe what you need is a “War Room” – my next article after this, so stay tuned. 🙂

Alas, I need to bid thee farewell my beloved readers for the night is no longer young and the “tugging” is now there to finally take my deep slumber. *yawn*

Good mornight, everyone!

P.S.

When you feel the “tugging”  deep down in your heart too, I advise don’t play tug-of-war. Just let yourself be “tugged”  where you feel the most power especially if it has something to do with the Scripture. Most likely this is the Spirit giving you special instructions to act on.

And ALWAYS, never start and end your day and your reading of the bible without a PRAYER. The prayer realigns your thoughts even the most clouded ones so you’ll be more in tune with the Spirit when you read the Scripture. The prayer will protect you, it’ll be your shield from anything or anyone that will and will try to disrupt your moment of silent solitude.

And I thought this was a post script and yet it is still in two paragraphs. LOL

Okay now, good mornight! Seriously. 😀

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

The Judgement At Christ’s Coming

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Photo credit: hdwallpaperbook.com

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 

They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Thessalonians 1: 5-12

Everyday I Love You

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How often do you say “I love you”  to your partner, your parents, siblings or friends?

Personally, I grew up in a family wherein affectionate “I love yous”  seldom take place between conversations. I got comfortable with this habit thus saying “I love you”  has proved to be such an awkward and tasking challenge for me even if I will say it to a loved one.

Things changed when I met my husband for he is the total opposite. He does not just say “I love you”  often, but he includes it in literally every single text. Yes, even when he is about to brush his teeth after lunch at work! lol How generous indeed he is for blurting that warm expression of endearment.

I used to find it so amusing that I told him saying “I love you”  often especially in every text will make it lose its essence and meaning. It becomes a greeting like “Hi,” “Hello,”  and “Goodbye.”  I continued that I reserve it ONLY for very special moments.

Still, he didn’t falter with his every text “I love yous.”

Until I realized that they are right when they say that our life is short and we do not know when will be our last day here on Earth so why wait for the opportune time to express “I love you”  when you have the opportunity to say it everyday every time. I also came to realize that no harm can be done by following suit in what my husband is doing for it is not a bad habit either.

Of course when your relationship stood the test of time, you will also realize that these “I love yous”  in fact deepens your intimacy for each other as well. If it is my husband’s love language then I have to understand it. Moreover, if it is also what makes him be assured of my feelings for him, then I should reply back with an “I love you”  every single time that he does it.

Love is at its best anyway when it is equally reciprocated, right?  😉

So let me end this by saying, to you my beloved reader, “I love you”  for reading this. ❤

P.S.

But more than just the “I love you,” this is what love should be all about, something that I am still learning.

love

The Truth vs. The Lie

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Photo credit: meada.net

After overcoming a tough situation with my husband, I am just grateful that God protected our marriage. Praise God for this. 🙂

Through the course of events, there was one instance wherein I told my husband this,

“Honey, when there comes a point that you did something wrong, people found out and asked me about it, I will not deny and lie but I will tell them the truth. I ask you to do the same because I am not perfect either and I will be committing mistakes too.

I know we should protect each other and this marriage but I value the truth more than committing a sin such as lying because I know the truth will set both of us free. I know it is only God who can and will protect this marriage as long as we choose to stick together and always obey Him and His commands.”

TRUTH.

The truth is something that is heavy to bear especially if we are not yet ready to say it or hear it. Most of the time it causes us to feel guilt, to be ashamed, to deny it and to cover it up with excuses or lies. Let’s consider the fact that a lie is still a lie regardless if you did it out of a good or a bad intention.

Yet for cases such as what I have mentioned above, part of telling the truth is taking the risk of getting hurt and hurting the people you love. But consider the idea that taking that risk will never fall for nothing. God will reward you for telling the truth and upholding it. It has been written in the bible that “Then you will know the Truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)  and it does.

The truth will set you free from all the guilt, all the shame and all the condemnation. It is the truth that will combat the enemy’s weapons of deception and lies. These are the lies and deception that you are filthy, you are most sinful, unworthy of forgiveness, that people will regard you lowly as a person when they found out who you were and what you have done and that you have no hope and chances in becoming better.

It has been said in the bible that “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23)  and yet this is exactly the reason why we have the Cross and why God sent His Son to suffer, pay for our sins and die for us so we could be saved. It is the Truth that prevailed on the Cross when everybody and the enemies believed He will die and that He is not the Son of God.

In the same way, telling the truth will relinquish us from any emotional burden or stronghold that ties us to the enemy through acceptance of the mistake committed, repentance and finally receiving God’s forgiveness through His Son.

God’s gift is FREE for all. Jesus Christ was that gift being the Way towards salvation, the Truth that He is the Son of God and the Life towards eternity. He was the ultimate sacrifice meaning He didn’t just die for the sins committed by the people of the past generation, our ancestors, but He died once and for all for all of us and for all our sins committed in the past, present and future. This is God’s forgiveness, His free gift, but it should not be taken for granted.

For though we have been forgiven of our future sins which God already knew beforehand that we will commit, we still have made a covenant with the Lord to say “no”  to sin and live a righteous life when we surrendered our lives to Him. As it is written, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

This is not so we could earn and work our own way towards salvation for it has already been done by Jesus’ sacrifice, but out of our love and honor to God who gave us the way to receive His gift of experiencing a life without pain and trouble. This is the free gift of eternal salvation or eternity in heaven EVEN THOUGH we do not deserve it.

As a loved one, it hurts to see your loved one get hurt because of sin. But as a Christian, we know that experiencing pain because of doing the right thing never gets away from God’s attention. Everything that you do in God’s way, you are doing for the honor and the glory of God. As a believer and as a Christian, that is all that God has called us to do – everybody’s mission.

I took the risk to feel pain. I took the risk to hurt people. I took the risk to let the Truth be known. For this is the will of God.

But if you are to ask me how should we believe this Truth, then my answer is through faith. For it has been said:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…” (Hebrews 11:1)  and “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).

Are we believing a lie or a truth? Are we going to tell the lie or the truth? Are we ready for the Truth? 🙂

Changes: April It Is

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Changes

Once again, my planner never fell short in conveying messages and character traits that I need to learn or will about to take place. For the month of April, it is about CHANGES.

How timely, how accurate and how helpful – same phrase as what I wrote in my previous article regarding COURAGE. If not for courage though, I wouldn’t be able to defend my faith when the need arises. This need came in the form of a conflict at my husband’s work place wherein worldly suggestions as well as worldly interpretations of things were given to him – I expected the worst. Yet I believe God intended it to be and I believe too that God has already prepared us beforehand.

With this kind of scenario, I would have felt fear and indignation at the maximum and yet, I found myself correcting how I should react and take everything in a Godly perspective right away. I am grateful to God as well and this is the reason why I can attest that God knew this will all happen, because contrary to what I was expecting as my spouse’s response to this kind of situation in the past, which is also worldly, he handled the matter this time according to what we talked about as the right way – God’s way. This gratitude extends even further because by doing so, by obeying God, my fear that I will lose my husband if he favors his workmates over me thus resulting to a broken marriage didn’t happen.

Our marriage was intact, God protected it from those who wanted to ruin it. In fact, I know God is with His people and He is with us for He showed to my spouse the mistakes of his coworkers that involved gossiping, meddling with the husband and wife affairs and broken confidentiality with a “trusted”  coworker. My husband and I chose to pray for them instead. We know that these are also trials of faith to them as it is to us. It is not for a born-again Christian to quarrel but choose rather to do things peacefully.

This situation proved to my husband that indeed, it is the wife and the husband who should work as a team against the attacks of the enemy. It is only this team work of the husband and the wife that will save the covenant and the Holy Matrimony. My husband and I got to talk things out last night regarding this and afterwards when he got up, I told him something: “Honey, God loves you.”  He answered back with an “I know, Hon.”  A tight hug culminated it. Okay, I am not supposed to include this. 😀

Yes, I have nothing to fear, we have nothing to fear. It is God who will always fight the battle for us. Problems might be too big and too overwhelming that it could cloud our vision of God beside us, and yet faithful as He is, He will make His presence felt. For all the rest of the day that my husband is at work, I was at home doing a lot of things and praying that God would give him strength to get through the challenges, the attacks and temptations of the enemy that he will be facing at work. God knows those are my only worries as a wife because I am not physically with my husband and he is facing these temptations on his own. I always pray to God that my husband’s spirit will be strengthened deeply in all of these trials. I know that it is only by prayers and in spirit that I can be with him whenever he is not with me.

But through all these worries, once again God assured me so many times through His word that He will never leave our side. The Spirit prodded me to read chapters and verses in the bible that are enough to give me the courage to face the enemy with boldness and support my husband in his ordeals. But I also prayed for discernment still for the enemy could use the Scripture against me.

And yet, I choose to have faith. I told my husband to keep the faith even when the enemy will use any of us against each other. I have to remind ourselves that we have to look at the end goal, our destiny, which is to claim victory over all challenges by upholding to the covenant that we made with each other as a husband and a wife in front of the Lord and emerge victorious, as a couple, until death do us part.

All these pain and suffering and the rebuke I share to him, I know I have to explain to my husband so he’d be encouraged through the Scripture and know the Light:

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” – Hebrews 12:11

“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its Father?” – Hebrews 12:7

“Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.” – Deuteronomy 8:5

“I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; You disciplined me because I needed it.” – Psalm 119:75

As much as I want to keep quiet and just show my husband how a Christ-like living and attitude go, I know I still need to answer and remind him when he asks me directly certain questions pertaining to faith. I have to thank God though for allowing these changes and I can only pray that more changes, for the better, will take place not just between me and my husband but with all the people around us.

I always tell him that our life story as a couple and our marriage will be our testimony of God’s grace, His love and faithfulness through the good, the best, the bad and the worst times. We just have to TRUST and OBEY Him at ALL times.

True it is when they say,

“The only thing that is constant in this world is CHANGE.”

And yet true it is also that,

“Change is a lifetime process.”

 

The Battle Cry

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There was once a moment when he asked me:

“Why am I experiencing all these failures and disappointments?”

“If there is a God, then He should not allow me to suffer but how come He won’t listen to my prayers?”

 And my answer was simple:

“There is a God, He listens to you and He answers. BUT you just don’t hear it because you don’t believe.”

And I continued:

“Didn’t you know that this world that we live in now is the devil’s domain?

Didn’t you know that most of the problems that we encounter are all fueled by the dark forces and the evil nature that reside in this world?

Didn’t you know that this world is condemned, it is temporary and this was cursed because of our fallen nature, that moment when Adam and Eve (our ancestors) were banished from the garden of Eden because of sin?

BUT…

Didn’t you know too that God has made peace with us by sending His Son as the ultimate sacrifice so we can choose to have life?

Didn’t you know that that life is not the life lived in this world, but lived in a world where everything is pleasing, good and perfect and everything evil, the ones that we are experiencing now, will forever be eradicated including death?

Didn’t you know that this other world is called heaven, a place of eternity and eternal salvation in contrast to hell which is eternal condemnation?

Didn’t you know that what God only wanted for us is to accept His gift to us which is eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ?

Didn’t you know that this salvation means God wants to save us from the dark forces of evil in this world by giving us a chance to claim victory towards life in eternity?

Didn’t you know that God wanted to prove to you that He is more powerful than anything in this world and that He is the only one who can save you from the perils of this world just by simply surrendering to the Way towards salvation, surrendering to the Truth that death has no power over the Son of God, and surrendering to the Life that is eternal and infinite – Jesus Christ?

Didn’t you know that it only takes three ways to believe in God, our ticket towards heaven – to repent, to surrender and to proclaim you need a Savior?”

And so I continued:

“If you don’t really know all these things, then I humbly dare you to ask God to come into your life, reveal Himself to you and prove that He is indeed God of all.”

This was how I ended the battle for I believe God will finish it for me. All I have to do is believe then proclaim – this is my battle cry. 

I Had To

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I have to protect my rights as a wife and my children’s rights from being  verbally and physically abused…

I have to defend myself, my faith and my rights as a woman from persecution…

I have to ensure me and my children will have a life of peace…

I have to remember I also have a life outside being a wife…

I HAVE TO…

But I HAD TO…

I had to remember these verses:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15: 1-3

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the Word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.” 1 Peter 3:1-2

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.” John 6:37

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

Yes, I had to. I had to accept, repent and turn back from my selfish ways and I had to accept trials and challenges for it is how I will carry my own cross.

Because I had to do the will of God, not mine, if indeed I consider myself a follower of Christ – Christine.

Reassessing Self

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Nope, please do not get me wrong. I am not self-centered but I decided to share my own experiences in order to not judge anyone’s character but if I did share something that is not from my own character, please do understand that it is in the hopes of making us understand better that we are all a work in progress. What I do hope to share with my readers is a bunch of experiences and lessons I have learned which they could learn from as well.

Experience is the best teacher, as they say. It is application that measures how much of the theories you have learned have you applied AND have applied successfully through a test. If you have never gone through any form of trial or test in life, then there’s no way that you can assess how far of the theories you have indeed learned. So take heart my dear friends when trials of all sort come to you. For it is the final assessment in molding your character and in preparing us for the final journey with our Savior, Jesus Christ. 🙂

So why the title for this post?

I would like to highlight yesterday’s event. My Facebook profile right now seems like I am going through the darkest moments and friends have been asking why and been praying for me. It all started when I browsed my news feed and status updates that contain “dark moments” came popping up one by one. And I thought, all these dark moments that my friends are going through, you piece them all together, that is what I am going through now – career, marriage and health.

When you are in darkness, yes, one emotion that you will feel is anxiety. And I praise God I have in my list of Facebook Friends Christian friends, devoted ones, who never fail each and every single day to post a bible verse/spiritual quotation which will remind you of who you are in Christ – an overcomer saved by the blood of Christ. Indeed, God planned it well that we are to uplift one another in times of peril through faith and Jesus. 🙂

This is what I read from one friend’s post:

Prayer Over Anxiety

“Heavenly Father, we pray for all those suffering from anxiety. In the midst of their fear, give them your peace. When they feel alone, surround them with your presence. Strengthen them and give them grace to get through today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” – Circle of Prayer

Indeed, when you start to worry, you start to trust less and then it makes you hopeless. Enemy’s schemes, right? Yes, they are. For that is what the enemy is very good at – deception and lies. Making you believe that you are weak and you have no capability in overcoming a situation. And yet, if you have been born again, you know that that is not true. Self pity will only make you feel more worthless.

God, on the other hand, is the one who counterbalances that. God is always fighting for us. We may not realize it but He is. The fact that you wake up each day, unharmed, alive, forgetful of the past, that is what we call the Grace of God.

In my previous posts I have shared about the condition of my health and I am sure everyone is asking, “How was the check up?”  Unfortunately, circumstances came that I wasn’t able to have a medical checkup in the week that I have planned to have it – I take it as not yet God’s time and will have to wait for the right one. I stopped taking birth control pills though and so far it alleviated my migraines. When I completely read the prescription of the pills, it is indeed one of the most common side effects. Good for me, I stopped taking them.

And yet, I was “unsafe.”  Now my husband and I are contemplating about the possibility that I might be pregnant. Something that we are not yet prepared for considering that I do not have a job, though I could get one any time I want but because I need to concentrate on my exam and my masteral thesis, I had to accept the idea of being jobless for now. I jokingly told my husband, “Honey, if indeed I am pregnant, the baby will be born in my birth month too, December. And yes, he/she will be like Jesus, born in a manger, the modern counterpart would be at home via a midwife or maybe in a taxi or somewhere else except for the hospital for we are not financially ready.”  But, no need to worry if it is God’s will. For if it is, then God has already prepared everything beforehand. I always trust Him that He will not give you something that you cannot handle. 🙂

Regarding my exam, I have short term memory retention. Thus reviewing a couple of months before will be useless because a week after, I sure have forgotten everything I have reviewed. I am starting to review just a couple of days ago and many may call it as “cramming”  but that is just the way I review in every exam. The exam is in a matter of 8 days. Prayers, review materials, more prayers and letting God take control of it are what is occupying my mindset now. Again, no need to worry. For if I did my part well and if it is God’s will, then I will pass the exam. 🙂

Yes, it is easy for me to trust God in those areas of my life. But then again, if we haven’t loved yet as how God has loved us, then we haven’t experienced the optimum when it comes to faith. And the best way to experience and express God’s love at its best and learn it first is being in a Holy Matrimony – loving someone who is completely a different individual than yourself and living with that person under one roof every single day.

“If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:2

Relationships are my waterloo. I have failed miserably in the past when it comes to that. And these are relationships in general, not just between a couple. But right now, as I am in a season of being married, this is where my faith is being tested the most for now.

I do trust God in my exams, in my health, etc. and yet focusing on them would mean balancing my time between being a wife, a housewife and being a teacher and a student. All these roles carry with them very big responsibilities and duties. Sometimes they can be overwhelmingly burdensome.

I may have not oftentimes showed my distress but it does reflect in my words and sometimes in my actions towards my spouse. And the very recent was when he decided by himself to drive for his mom and relatives during a family reunion. He texted that it doesn’t matter if I choose to go or not for he will still go. We are experiencing “tight” moments at home and him texting me that just made me thought like, “Whatever happened to your promise that whatever happens, you will always be with me.”  I thought I needed him most now and why didn’t it cross his mind.

I started thinking about my needs, myself and I thought how could my husband be so selfish and think about having a good time when he will be leaving his wife doing all the household chores, tired and stressed from reviewing then had to make all the necessary planning for what is to come, etc. He explained that he needed a relaxation. Indeed, when selfishness and pride creep in, it is easier to get bitter and angry than be patient and understanding and the next thing I knew my husband and I were furious about one another and having another argument. And this now made me realize something about myself: “Tin, the Spirit is not in you yet.”  For it is said that the fruits of the Spirit is joy, love, peace, gentleness, selflessness, etc. I obviously do not have those. And this made me cry.

I had to battle with my inner self that I am already a new creation when I got saved through the Name of Jesus and through the Cross. I should understand better. If I want to be gentle, patient and understanding, etc., then all I have to do is think about the Cross and what God did for me even though I was in my most sinful self – He wholeheartedly accepted me for who I was, not furious, not impatient, not insisting His way and yet lovingly gave me a chance to change. This is now my opportunity so I need not waste it away just because the enemy is using my emotions. Indeed, heavy were the emotions of anger, rage and bitterness. Every emotional burden I am carrying came all loose. I was crying most of the time yesterday and I thought hopefully this will not trigger another depression which almost took my life before I got saved 3 years ago.

I was crying when once again, I was reminded by the prayer regarding anxiety. I had to combat the enemy making me feel that I am alone, that I am hopeless, and that there is no solution for every burden I am carrying. In between sobs I can only utter one word, “Father…Father…” All the rest that I wanted to pray and say, they were all drowned by tears. And then positive thoughts started pouring in. My husband needed that break. He has been having a stressful week at work, he deserves to have a time of relaxation and enjoyment. If I love him, then I have to sacrifice my needs for his needs. That is what love is all about.  That is what God did and what Jesus did on the Cross – sacrificing.

But of course I thought, what about his promise that he will never leave me whatever happens. And I thought this is yet another of the enemy’s schemes to make me hate my husband more for not fulfilling his promise. And this is what the Lord has for that, “put your hopes not in the things around you but in God and God alone. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.”  Lesson? I should never put my hopes in my husband. Why? Because my husband is only human and he is not perfect like me. He will make mistakes and he will not meet what I have expected. He might even be doing things now that are contrary to what we have agreed upon or be even committing the same mistakes/sins he did before.

There was one time that out of anger my husband told me that he doesn’t want to go to church and he is only accompanying me just to please me. I almost uttered that he doesn’t have to go to church with me. But then I thought that that was the goal in the first place of discipleship – to bring those who doesn’t know God closer to Him through the spiritual family. I did tell him gently that it is okay if he doesn’t feel like going to church.

But came the unexpected because in the Sundays that followed, he still includes going to church as part of his itinerary and would constantly remind me while I am preparing if we are about to be late for church. He still would lead in praying before he leaves for work. But there also came a point wherein he blamed God for every conflict that we are going through as a couple and how much he hated Him followed by curses. That was one of our bigger fights. Yes, the enemy is always lurking in the corner waiting for the right opportunity to act on his plans. Indeed, anger will only lead us to committing more sins and suppressing it will help us in so many ways and will defeat the enemy’s purpose to destroy and kill. In this case, acceptance of mistakes and forgiveness are the best solutions to fight the enemy.

It is not for me to judge my husband’s faith and personal relationship with God. It is only God who knows the deepest intentions and conditions of our hearts. My husband knows how much my faith means to me and when we are having a fight or a disagreement, he would mock my faith to offend me more and to retaliate whenever I would commit a simple mistake. He would accuse God of wrong decisions made, that if there is a God then he wouldn’t be experiencing all of the trials in the past and the trials now – the enemy is in him, is in us. That is what is making both of us sin and anger is what the enemy is using to control us. But they say, hate the sin but love the person for this is what God’s love means and this is His second greatest commandment – love others as I have loved you. God’s love was through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

I can only pray though that God will live in his heart and lead it. I can only pray and look forward to that change. And I pray the same for myself, that I will not go back to who I was even if the enemy will use my husband against me. So that my husband can see the works of Christ in me, how to rightfully respond in situations that are seemingly offensive to the self and to the faith and with persecutions and he’ll be inspired to follow suit and surrender himself to God’s Grace.

Being a perfectionist, I have this knack for the good, the perfect and the pleasing and that includes good manners, speech and behavior because that was the values system that my parents and my family have brought me up with. As much as I want to correct my husband’s behavior, it is not for me to change him – I, too, have my own flaws. As the bible says, “why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye and not notice the log in your own.”  I can only show him what is right through my actions, something that is so hard to do though. For it was also written in the bible, “do not associate yourself with hot-tempered people for you will become like them and endanger your soul.”  But I am here in this situation now and maybe this is also the test that I have to go through to become the person that God wanted me to be through tests of self-control, discipline, patience and endurance.

I felt during these moments that I am being surrounded by so many powerful demons. My heart was very heavy with all sort of negativity – pure thoughts were nowhere to be found in my head. I began to worry, I began to doubt, I began to lose trust, to lose hope even on my faith. Yes, there was a battle and I wrestled and I thought I can only seek for God’s help. And I only needed to cry out His name and He will save me from these. For He is the only one who sees and knows everything. Prayer is my only weapon to defend my faith.

THEN there was peace, there was calm. I slept yesterday afternoon and took a time off from my review and I opted not to text my husband and have him enjoy his relaxation time with his family even if it would mean that the enemy could possibly once again use his family to tempt him or be the avenue for him to get tempted to do what he should not ought to do i.e. drunkenness, lust, etc. or be in a bar somewhere in the wee hours of the morning or checking in at a massage spa that is unusually open from midnight ’til dawn, etc. and etc.

I can only pray for them as well and let God change their hearts too. Yes, demons are indeed real as Pastor Joey, one of our pastors in church, said in one of his blog posts. But as my Dad says, God can never allow for a sin or a bad agenda by a demon to continue on and on and on. God will expose it and will do the necessary actions if a reprimand is needed. My Mom once told me, “I have no worries when your Dad will not be with me for how many days or weeks to attend a seminar or even if it is just hanging out with his peers because I trust him and I know that he will never do anything to compromise our marriage.”  I asked her, “But Mommy, what if you got married to someone who has a bad past and still continues to commit some bad things every now and then, what would you do?”  She was silent for a moment. Then told me this answer, “Then you should’ve married a pastor. But you chose him then you should love all of him even at his worst. Because that is him.”  Okay, now I don’t have an answer/follow up question for that. I actually know the answer, it’s just that I have to keep myself reminded of it. 🙂

That as a couple we should give an allowance to each other for mistakes even if those mistakes were repeatedly made because nobody is perfect. And that change and adjustment do not happen overnight. Be ready to forgive and forgive if apologies take place. Yes, I had the option to choose what my Mom formerly said but I chose differently. Circumstances didn’t end up for me that way. My brother told me that if I prayed for that decision, which I did, and God gave me the answer to push through with my decision, then it is God’s will.

I was exhausted yesterday and yet I was relieved. Though there was no visible assurances of a solution, I felt at peace. It is a good thing my phone’s wallpaper was the Lord’s Prayer. I have had it for a long time already and I am not planning on changing it. For I know there is a reason why it had to be my phone’s wallpaper.

I prayed to God last night for protection, for healing, for guidance, for purity and strength to withstand every battle, every attack, every assault on my faith. And lastly, I prayed for courage to face the enemy. The next thing I did was I looked at the Lord’s Prayer then I started mumbling it. It came first as a whisper and then I am uttering it out loud over and over again. Then a thought came into me, I have in my possession an anointing oil from Jerusalem which was a gift last year from my parents-in-law. You can read more about it here: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/the-anointing-oil-and-more-memories/.

I went down to get it and started making Cross signs all over the house with the anointing oil and over my forehead and my heart while uttering the Lord’s Prayer. I really have no idea how the anointing oil should be used as I believe a prayer sincerely prayed and your faith are enough to cast out a demon. But if this anointing oil has been blessed and prayed over by spiritual leaders from the Promise Land or from any parts of the world, then my faith and theirs combined will be powerful enough to cast an also powerful demon/demons out along with the prayers. Because demons are real and if they are invading this house, my marriage, my thoughts and my heart, then I need to cast them out and seek for protection through a prayer and the sign of the Cross. And the best prayer for it is the Lord’s Prayer. For if there is one person who was tested by the devil the most, that would be Jesus. And yet if there is one person who was able to resist all of the enemy’s temptations, that is also Jesus. He was the only one who conquered death.

This happened around midnight and because I couldn’t sleep, I was restless and I keep on getting up. I have been experiencing severe back pains in my shoulder too which makes my breathing difficult. But praise God, for the moment I laid down in bed after the Lord’s Prayer and the signs of the Cross with the anointing oil and closed my eyes, I was off to heaven. Nah, I am kidding. I was just off to sweet dreamland. *wide smile*  It was a very restful night that was granted to me. I woke up greeted by the warm sun through the window curtains and I automatically sat down and prayed a prayer of gratitude.

Last night though, after I finished my last Lord’s Prayer before sleeping, I felt my throat so dry I had to cough it out and our neighbor’s dog yelped suddenly as if someone kicked him and I heard nobody i.e. footsteps, etc. Hmmm, must be them. But, it doesn’t matter for the sound sleep is what mattered and a heart realigned with the Lord’s. If they do come back then I should better be prepared. 🙂

Today was very different from yesterday’s. I am still alone for my husband is staying for 3 days with his family and yet I am at peace with that, there is security. I was able to do all the tasks I had to finish, although some are still ongoing. Today is bliss. And if I will reassess myself, I may have failed miserably in behaving with a Christlike attitude in some situations, I am still glad that I was given by God the opportunity to still learn from these experiences, repent and improve myself. I can say that yes, I have withstood yet another battle defending my faith – still alive, still breathing, faith still intact. And yes, when it comes to defending your faith, it is a day-to-day lifetime walk of constant reaffirmation, a decision that you can never ever turn your back on once made – crucial and yet beneficial. 🙂

To end this, let me share one quotation by Og Mandino that I came across my reviewer (God planned I come across it in His perfect time)  which will summarize this article:

I-will-love-the-light-for-it-shows-me-the-way-yet-I-will-endure-the-darkness-because-it-shows-me-the-stars.

Darkness makes you see the small tinges of light such as the stars making you want to seek that light even more and appreciate any single tiny bit of light you see. Light is all about hope and darkness just makes the light seem even brighter. ❤

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Is Sharing The Gospel Free Nowadays?

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Photo credit: mcdonaldroad.org

YES. Sharing has never been easier nowadays with all the modern technology that we have – may it be through the internet, sending stuff, etc. I must say today’s generation has that to brag about – a life made more convenient by modernization.

And yet the question we should ask ourselves is are we making the most out of it according to God’s plans?

FREE blog hosting is one of the game changers over the world wide web through the recent years. It served A LOT of purposes. Mine started out of my hobby to write and share my thoughts whether people read it or not. Another thing is that I love to tinker what is new out there. I was still in college when I came across geocities or geosites (I already forgot the exact name) which enables one to make his/her own website using html. I was a huge fan of this Korean actress that somehow motivated me in making a fan website for her.

I was able to make one and successfully integrated an html which disallows visitors from copying the pictures via “right click.”  That was pretty challenging for me as I don’t want to be the reason for copyrighted images being spread everywhere over the internet without the right permission from the owners. I have my own disclaimer for the photos of her that I posted in that website. So, I was a literature major back then but out of the need to protect my favorite actress, I had to learn the nitty gritty details of using html and scripts in websites – I became an IT student for quite some time. lol

Yes, it was all made possible by tutorials online. Everything is really there in the internet, just name it and you will get it. Unfortunately, that site closed down. So ended my website-making too. My second option was Friendster as I can edit the layout of the background but sadly, it closed down too. I actually chose it over Facebook as that time Facebook was too stiff for me wherein you cannot edit any of their site’s sections. You just input information and that’s just it.

But again, expansions and discoveries are limitless when it comes to technology. So now I am loving Facebook. All the more when I got to learn Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg’s greater intent in putting up the site – free internet access to everyone all over the world and their consistent drive with this advocacy until now with other countries. And along with it came all other social media options – Instagram, Twitter, WordPress, Tumblr, etc. I actually didn’t do my research yet as to which of which started first before the other. But bottom line is that it was now WordPress that gave me back my thrill in website-making. AND it is for FREE. So now what does it have to do with faith?

As I would always mention in my previous articles – it was this blog that became the “megaphone”  for my faith because I absolutely am not good in public speaking so I find it easier to share my thoughts through writing. I started sharing the first few instances of my experiences about life in general which gathered quite a few followers then started sharing my hobbies/interests i.e. photography, art, etc. until I started sharing a lot about faith. I didn’t quite expect there will be people reading my blog. But that wasn’t my goal in the first place. For I believe that if you want to write and you have a passion to share your thoughts, share them by all means regardless on who gets to read it. 🙂

I came across fellow writers/bloggers who share about their faith through blogs too and this is actually the gospel being shared for FREE. Unfortunately, I also came across some write ups that I’d love to read and yet it comes with a price. *insert sad face here*

I raised this concern of mine with my brother and told him that books on faith should be free because your intent is to help as many people as you can to know God. He answered that that is the way things should go because in every business, you should have enough money to fund your project which is in this case, your writing. I answered back that faith is not about money or business because Jesus did not ask His listeners to pay Him for the wisdom/message/knowledge that He shares/teaches to the people. Like the bible, resources on faith should be readily available. Because it is through these that the Gospel is also shared via quotations on bible verses.

Personally I intended my blog to be ads-free. You might see some which is part of WordPress’s TOA (Terms of Agreement) when you decide to use their FREE account plan. I do not want to take credit, literally and figuratively, from everything that I post here as I started here at WordPress paying not a single cent and all knowledge came not from me BUT was shared also to me which I am now also sharing to others (I have my Acknowledgment page for that). I believe it is just a win-win situation between me and WordPress that I get to share my stuff for free and they get to be advertised along with my articles when I share it anywhere. I also think that if God has called you to serve Him in whatever medium it may be, He will prepare all the resources that you need to sustain it, or even to make it better whether it is on a smaller or wider scale.

I have nothing against those whose blog sites have attracted the attention of investors for it could be God’s way of sustaining your blog and your advocacy to share faith above everything else. BUT there is this danger there of probably infusing your faith-driven blog with something else that this world tries to promote – materialism, wealth, gluttony, etc. Thus, your audience/viewers will now have distractions that could lead them away from faith that is the opposite of what you have originally intended. I believe keeping these ads to a minimum or better yet, ads free, will help you promote your site to its original intent – faith-driven.

I have this great admiration to those who have kept their blogs “market free” and yet continued to have gained audiences especially when it comes to faith. For I know that they are doing us, the readers, more favor in sharing faith and the Gospel without expecting any compensation for it.

NEVER ask a reader to pay for what they are about to read. Again, Jesus never asked for anything in exchange for the Gospel that He shared. I know God is the only one who will give you all the resources you need to keep your blog running in whatever way it may be. 🙂

It was thus one of my constant prayers that when the need arises for me to search for resources that will fuel my faith or help me in understanding the Scripture further, it will be FREELY and READILY available. I know it will not just benefit me but it will benefit a lot of people too. But of course, it has to come from a reliable source.

God answered my prayers now. I came across an article by one of our Senior Pastors in church in his website (www.joeybonifacio.com) when I saw it pop up in my Facebook news feed. It also happened that I am going through rough times in my marriage so it was such a relief on my part that I found his latest e-book on relationships and marriages AND downloadable for FREE. All you have to do is subscribe which I am more than glad to do as I constantly check out his website.

Praise God indeed for this. You might want to check out his website too and you might find what you are looking for there. I am sure you would. 🙂